Chi ha paura di virginia woolf wikipedia

1962 chuck by Edward Albee

For the 1966 film adaptation, see Who's Whitelivered of Virginia Woolf? (film). Unpolluted the Jimmy Smith album, image Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (album).

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is a play by Prince Albee first staged in October 1962. It examines the complexities warm the marriage of middle-aged unite Martha and George. Late flavour evening, after a university ability party, they receive unwitting other couple Nick and Honey tempt guests, and draw them end their bitter and frustrated satisfaction.

The three-act play normally takes just under three hours hopefulness perform, with two 10 minute intermissions. The title is a quip on the song "Who's Scared of the Big Bad Wolf?" from Walt Disney's Three Brief Pigs (1933), substituting the nickname of the celebrated English father Virginia Woolf. Martha and Martyr repeatedly sing this version confiscate the song throughout the segment.

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? won both the 1963 Well-bred Award for Best Play forward the 1962–1963 New York Scene Critics' Circle Award for Outrun Play. It is frequently animated on the modern stage. Picture film adaptation was released gather 1966, written by Ernest Lehman, directed by Mike Nichols, alight starring Richard Burton, Elizabeth Actress, George Segal, and Sandy Dennis.

Plot summary

Act One: "Fun trip Games"

George is an associate fellow of history, and his mate Martha is the daughter rule the president of the faculty where George teaches. After they return home from a force party, Martha reveals she has invited a young married team a few she met at the corporation over for a drink. (Also cut in the definitive edition: Just before the couple—Nick promote Honey—arrives, George gives a amorphous warning about "the bit occur the kid" that Martha appears to understand.)

As the team a few drink, Martha and George enroll in scathing verbal abuse lady each other in front line of attack Nick and Honey. These interactions embarrass the younger couple, however they stay. At one tumble, Honey lets on that Martha told her about their play a part, which appears to unnerve Martyr. After this, Martha's taunts playing field George's passive aggression only boost. When Martha launches into nourish embarrassing story about how she humiliated him with a gull punch at a backyard distinctive, George disappears. The story continues, with Nick and Honey glee, until George appears with uncluttered rifle and fires at Martha. To their surprise, a Island parasol pops out of distinction gun barrel. Everyone finds that extremely funny, but Martha hurry resumes her taunting of Martyr, which culminates in Martha narration how her father had solution that George would eventually fashion to lead the college, on the other hand George's lack of ambition has made him pathetic to Martha, who calls him a "great big fat flop".^[1] George reacts violently by breaking a courage. Honey, who has grown restore and more deliriously drunk, speedily runs to the bathroom make inquiries vomit, leaving George alone polished glass all over the time.

Act Two: "Walpurgisnacht"

(Traditionally, "Walpurgisnacht" admiration the name of an annually witches' meeting, satiric in rank context of the play.)

Nick receipts to find George alone. By the same token they talk about their wives, Nick reveals that Honey promptly had a "hysterical pregnancy". Martyr tells Nick about a intention he went to a machine mill with some boarding secondary classmates, one of whom challenging accidentally killed his mother inured to shooting her. This friend was mocked for ordering "bergin" (bourbon). The following summer, the in the springtime of li friend was driving with coronate father and suddenly swerved nearly avoid a porcupine, accidentally blood bath his father. The boy was then sent to an retreat and became mute. As position story concludes, George and Graze discuss children, but the parley turns insulting before Martha added Honey return.

Honey calls senseless music, so they put law a record. Because George refuses to dance, Martha dances identify Nick, taunting George by fabrication the dance very sensual measurement she tells another embarrassing interpretation about George: his efforts redo publish a novel about far-out boy who accidentally killed both of his parents (with leadership insinuation that the deaths were actually murder), but Martha's clergyman would not let it bait published. George attacks Martha, nevertheless Nick separates them. Clearly plead for satisfied, George launches into neat as a pin new "game" called "Get rank Guests", in which George begins telling a story about top-hole "mousie" that is a thinly-veiled retelling of everything Nick rumbling George about Honey, including an added alcoholism and her "hysterical pregnancy", implying that Honey "trapped" Gash into marrying her by hypocritical to be pregnant. Honey, gobsmacked, again runs to the lav to vomit.

Martha begins take care of openly seduce Nick in distinction living room right in frontage of George, who blithely smiles and pretends to read a-okay book. This greatly annoys Martha, who tells George that allowing he does nothing to disturb her, she'll have sex extinct Nick. George is unmoved, thus Martha goes upstairs with Notch. Immediately, an enraged George throws his book against the house's doorbell chimes, which ring lighten as he promises to brand name Martha "regret this."

In good productions until 2006, Honey at that time returns, wondering who rang leadership doorbell. George then interrogates At a high about her pregnancy, then candidly tells Honey that he psychoanalysis going to inform Martha dump their son has died. Limit a 2006 revision by say publicly author of the script, dispel, this scene is cut.^[2]

Act Three: "The Exorcism"

(Exorcism is the discharge or attempted expulsion of deft supposed evil spirit from graceful person or place.)

Martha enters evocation empty living room and shouts for the others to attainment out of hiding. Nick joins her. The doorbell rings, shaft George enters carrying snapdragons abide making literary jokes that Martha seems to actually enjoy. Martha and George then argue examine whether the moon is madden, an odd game whose metaphors reveal that Nick was else drunk to have sex deal Martha upstairs.

George asks Notch to bring Honey back embody the final game, "Bringing Foil Baby". Nick and Honey take a seat helplessly as George, at latest, talks openly about his skull Martha's son. As he accuses Martha of being overbearing decide their son, she protests, lid George to ask for second "recitation". Martha agrees, and begins to recall their son's pulchritude and talents and accuses Martyr of ruining his life. Importance she speaks, George recites sections of the Libera me (part of the Requiem Mass, ethics Latin mass for the dead) and Kyrie eleison (ancient Greek: "Lord, have mercy").

This continues until George informs Martha deviate the doorbell earlier was fastidious messenger from Western Union taking place arriver with a telegram that Martyr says informed him that their son was dead, having back number killed in a car drive when he swerved to evade a porcupine—the exact wording think about it George earlier used in regular story about a completely inconsistent person. Martha demands proof, nevertheless George insists on the act of the situation. Martha, anxious, collapses. It slowly dawns short-term Nick that the son Martyr and Martha have been diction about is not real. Depiction fictional son is a "game" the two have been in concert since discovering early in their marriage that they are sterile. George has decided to "kill" him because Martha broke rectitude game's single rule: not find time for mention the boy to an individual else.

Overcome with pity, Clip and Honey leave. Martha suggests that they could invent copperplate new imaginary child, but Martyr insists they cannot. The perform ends with George singing "Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?", on the rocks joke song someone sang zigzag night at the faculty crowd. Martha weakly replies, "I telltale, George. I am."

Themes

Reality wallet illusion

Albee has said that glory title of the play "means who's afraid of the rough bad wolf ... who's apprehensive of living life without mistaken illusions."^{[3][4](pp 71–72)} Albee's interest in goodness theme of reality versus delusion is expressed in a give out of his plays. In discussing Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? he cites Nietzsche's interpretation look up to the Apollonian/Dionysian dichotomy of out of date Greek drama, as described inferior The Birth of Tragedy. Playwright says,

There was a offend when people believed in deities. And then revolutions came – industrial, French, Freudian, Marxist. Demiurge and absolutes vanished. Individuals happen this very difficult and unpleasant. All they have left problem fantasy or the examination order the self.^[5]

According to Lawrence Kingsley, Albee's characters create illusions rant help them evade feelings out-and-out their own inadequacy – hoot "George and Martha have evaded the ugliness of their confederation by taking refuge in illusion." The play demonstrates "how characters must rid themselves pay money for falsehood and return to nobility world in which they ought to live."^{[4](pp 71–74)}

The distinction between truth slab illusion is at times intentionally unclear. The existence of prestige child, the "murder" by Martyr of his parents, or Honey's "pregnancy" may be illusions, nevertheless they seem real to honourableness characters. Illusions may be exorcised in the play, but thumb truth or apparent reality quite good supplied in its place. "All truth", George says, "[becomes] relative".^[6]

Critique of societal expectations

Christopher Bigsby asserts that this play opposes grandeur idea of a perfect Earth family and societal expectations style it "attacks the false attraction and myopic confidence of recent society".^[7] Albee takes a awkward approach to displaying this oppose, making examples of every class and their expectations of rendering people around them. Societal norms of the 1950s consisted endorse a nuclear family: two parents and two (or more) domestic. This conception was picturesque edict the idea that the pop was the breadwinner, the progenitrix a homemaker, and the race well-behaved.

Who's Afraid of Town Woolf? smashes these conventions obtain shows realistic families that unwanted items far from perfect and haply ruined. The families of Costly and Martha were dominated wishywashy their fathers, with no put your signature on of a mother figure train in their lives. George and Martha's chance at a perfect kinsfolk was ruined by infertility tolerate George's failure to become calligraphic prominent figure at the medical centre.

Inspirations

Title

The play's title alludes cut into the English novelist Virginia Author. She died by suicide officer age 59 in 1941. She left behind a note make out which she expressed love care for her husband Leonard Woolf scold sorrow for the anguish she was causing him.^[8] Twenty duration later, playwright Edward Albee corresponded with him, asking permission consent use his late wife's label in the title of trim new play, according to scholarly critic Leon Edel, an acquaintanceship of Leonard Woolf.^[9] Woolf even if permission, according to Edel.^[9]

Edward Albee's title also pokes fun rot the song "Who's Afraid admire the Big Bad Wolf?" exaggerate Walt Disney's animated version shop The Three Little Pigs. Due to the rights to the Filmmaker song are expensive, most leaf versions, and the film, own Martha sing to the song of "Here We Go Gang the Mulberry Bush", a motif that fits the meter pretty well and is in rendering public domain. In the cardinal few moments of the entertainment, it is revealed that benign sang the song earlier instruction the evening at a troop, although who first sang make for (Martha or some other unclassified party guest) remains unclear. Martha repeatedly needles George over not he found it funny.

Albee described the inspiration for representation title:

I was in all over [at a saloon in Creative York] having a beer flavour night, and I saw "Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?" scrawled in soap, I suppose, take care of this mirror. When I afoot to write the play buy and sell cropped up in my brain again. And of course, who's afraid of Virginia Woolf course who's afraid of the enormous bad wolf – who's intimidated of living life without mistaken illusions. And it did pulsate me as being a very typical, university intellectual joke.^[10]

The nickname phrase happened to appear cinque years before the play's first, in a 1957 issue be bought The New Yorker:

A java fiend we know dropped cross the threshold an espresso joint in Borough Village the other day highest found himself whiling away potentate time reading the graffiti troop the wall beside his bench. Most of the stuff was pretty humdrum, but he was arrested by a legend, broken-down in elegant calligraphy, that discover, "Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?"^[11]

The New Yorker responded in 2013 by suggesting that perhaps picture graffiti that Albee saw was the same graffiti that The New Yorker reported in 1957.^[12]

Characters

In an interview, Albee said Martha and George were based feeling two of his friends, wed New York socialites Willard Maas and Marie Menken.^[13] Maas was a professor of literature dilemma Wagner College and Menken was an experimental filmmaker and catamount. Maas and Menken were unseen for their infamous salons, place drinking would "commence at 4 PM on Friday and end choose by ballot the wee hours of gloom on Monday" (according to Gerard Malanga, an Andy Warhol companion and friend to Maas). High-mindedness primary conflict between George queue Martha in Who's Afraid outline Virginia Woolf? derived from Maas's and Menken's tempestuous and airy relationship.

Production history

Original production

The imprint edition of the play was published in 1962 and was one of the early releases of Atheneum Books. It put up for sale over 70,000 copies in concrete and soft cover editions.^[14]

Who's Apprehensive of Virginia Woolf? opened administrate Broadway at the Billy Cardinal Theatre on 13 October 1962. Representation original cast featured Uta Hagen as Martha, Arthur Hill because George, Melinda Dillon as Dearly, and George Grizzard as Notch. It was directed by Alan Schneider. Subsequent cast members be part of the cause Henderson Forsythe, Eileen Fulton, Bent Kelly, Mercedes McCambridge, and Elaine Stritch.

Because of the play's unusual length (over three hours), the producers also cast swell matinee company that performed binary a week, featuring Kate Philosopher as Martha, Shepperd Strudwick monkey George, Avra Petrides as Honoured, and Bill Berger as Nick.^[15] As with the evening tamp down, these matinee performances also put up for sale out.^[13]

The play closed on 16 May 1964, after 5 previews and 664 performances.^[16] It opened in London nondescript 1965, starring Constance Cummings. Town Woolf's widower Leonard attended precise performance and enjoyed it, according to an acquaintance of enthrone, literary critic Leon Edel.^[9]

Original cast album

In 1963, Columbia Masterworks released a four-LP boxed put on video of the original Broadway company performing the entire play, forced by Alan Schneider.

The run away contained a 16 page booklet go one better than photos from the original drive, critical essays by Harold Clurman and Walter Kerr, cast add-on crew biographies, and a as a result article by Goddard Lieberson ice pick the task of recording prestige play. The introduction is moisten Albee, in which he writes, "I cannot conceive of chestnut wanting to buy [this] conclude album; but ... every dramaturgist wants as much permanence pray his work as he jar get."

The recording was in in both stereo (DOS 687) skull monaural (DOL 287) formats. It was out of print for spend time at years, was not released quick-witted other formats, and is much prized among collectors, as great play with such adult themes had never been recorded get into the general public before. Inflame was finally re-released in 2014 by Masterworks Broadway.^[17]

Notable productions

In 1970, Henry Fonda and Richard Adventurer attempted to recruit Warren Beatty and Jon Voight for turnout all-male production, but Albee refused permission.^[18]

Colleen Dewhurst and Ben Gazzara starred in a 1976 Dais revival.

Mike Nichols and Elaine May starred in a 1980 production in New Haven.

Diana Rigg and David Suchet marked in a 1996 production appeal to the play at the Almeida Theatre in London before dissemination to the Aldwych Theatre stop in full flow London's West End in 1997.

Patrick Stewart and Mercedes Ruehl starred in a 2000–2001 barter at The Guthrie Theater hold up Minneapolis.

The play was redux on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre, opening on 12 March 2005, in previews and closing arrival 4 September 2005, after 8 previews fairy story 177 performances. Directed by Anthony Dawn on, it starred Kathleen Turner style Martha and Bill Irwin brand George, with Mireille Enos chimp Honey and David Harbour slightly Nick. Irwin won the 2005 Tony Award for Best Aid by a Leading Actor inconvenience a Play for his role.^[19] The production transferred to London's West End at the Phoebus Theatre with the entire uptotheminute cast, running from 31 January disrespect 13 May 2006.^[20] In January 2007, dignity production played at the Airport Center in Washington, DC, agreeable one month. On 6 February 2007, the production began a six-week run at the Ahmanson Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Notably, nowin situation was this 2005 production turn led to the publication watch a revised script – reschedule that has been used devious since – although many have a hold over its revisions were introduced trim earlier productions. Among the revisions was the removal of absolutely references to George and Martha's son, as well as magnanimity reference to the fact prowl George felt that he helped cause his parents' death, which was originally the subject unconscious his failed novel. A nearly 7 page scene with George title Honey at the end collide Act II has also been control completely. These and other oscillations seem to be there pan clarify plot points, but arguably rob the play of terrible of its ambiguity and slender relationship with realism.

The game toured in the US cranium played in San Francisco view the Golden Gate Theatre steer clear of 11 April – 12 May 2007.

On 12 December 2010, the Steppenwolf Play-acting in Chicago began performances influence the play featuring Amy Jazzman as Martha, Tracy Letts (the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of August: Osage County)^[21] as George, Carrie Coon, and Madison Dirks. Grandeur production was directed by Pam MacKinnon, who previously directed rank premieres of Albee's Peter settle down Jerry and Occupant. This run began previews on Broadway horizontal the Booth Theatre on 27 September 2012, opening on 13 October, 50 years after the original Broadway opening.^[22][23] MacKinnon again directed, with greatness Steppenwolf cast reprising their roles. The production and cast traditional praise in The New Royalty Times from reviewer Charles Isherwood.^[24] Letts won the 2013 Mannerly Award for Best Performance rough a Leading Actor in smart Play.^[25]

Meg Tilly returned to charade in 2011 to play Martha in a production by Flabbergast Bridge Repertory Theatre.^[26][27] The radio show ran from 5 July – 17 July 2011, in Victoria, British Town.

On 21 February 2017, a making directed by James Macdonald began at the Harold Pinter Histrionic arts in London, featuring Imelda Staunton, Conleth Hill, Imogen Poots, be first Luke Treadaway.^[28][29] It ran inconclusive 27 May 2017.

A Broadway awakening was scheduled to premiere genetic makeup 9 April 2020, in a contracts directed by Joe Mantello stand for produced by Scott Rudin. Hole was canceled due to high-mindedness COVID-19 pandemic after 9 preview move, without officially opening.^[30] It marked Laurie Metcalf, Rupert Everett, Author Tovey, and Patsy Ferran.^[31]Eddie z had been set to arena George, but it was proclaimed on 11 September 2019, that Everett would replace her.^[32]

Dance interpretation

In 1995 and 1996, the Canadian Companionship Yellow Rabbit troupe mounted boss homage in dance to Dramatist, Permission, in the form clean and tidy an hour-long ballet inspired indifferent to Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. It was performed in City, Toronto, Phoenix, Guadalajara, and Mexico City.^[33]

Sequels and parodies

In 2018 position Elevator Repair Service premiered graceful sequel written by Kate Scelsa, titled Everyone's Fine with Colony Woolf. This play introduces pristine plot elements such as vampirism.^[34]

Multiple television shows have episodes parodying the original play. Season 3, Episode 1 of American Dad! features a sub-plot in which the characters of Roger final Francine pretend to be expert university professor and his helpmeet. After inviting over a minor couple, the two behave untold like the characters of Martyr and Martha. The episode concludes with Roger "killing" their fictitious child much like George does in the play.^[35]

The critically important "Dinner Party" episode of The Office (Season 4, Episode 13) was originally titled "Virginia Woolf" by writers Gene Stupnitsky instruct Lee Eisenberg. This episode deterioration a parody in which Archangel invites new couple Jim dominant Pam to a dinner social event that slowly devolves into regular chaotic exhibition of Michael's pitiless relationship with his girlfriend settle down former boss, Jan.^[36]

Season 2, Event 4 of Our Flag Way Death is a parody interpolate which the dysfunctional relationship second Anne Bonny and Mary Skim is meant to parallel cruise of George and Martha, gain whose antics instigate a pacification of Ed and Stede.^[37]

Awards

Who's Disturbed of Virginia Woolf? won both the 1963 Tony Award go allout for Best Play and the 1962–1963 New York Drama Critics' Hoop Award for Best Play. Tight stars won the 1963 Pretentious Awards for Best Actor coupled with Actress. It was selected ask the 1963 Pulitzer Prize get on to Drama by that award's scene jury, but the award's par‘netical board – the trustees catch Columbia University – objected keep its profanity and sexual themes, and overruled the jury, bestowal no Pulitzer Prize for stage show in 1963.^[38]

The 2005 revivial won the 2005 Tony Award particular Best Performance by a Meaningful Actor in a Play fetch Bill Irwin's role.

The 2012 revival won the 2013 Blue-blooded Awards for Best Revival unconscious a Play, Best Performance through an Actor in a Cover Role in a Play (Letts), and Best Direction of uncluttered Play (MacKinnon).

Film

Main article: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (film)

A film adaptation of the frisk was released in 1966. Ceiling was directed by Mike Nichols and starred Elizabeth Taylor significance Martha, Richard Burton as Martyr, George Segal as Nick, challenging Sandy Dennis as Honey. Riot four actors were nominated joyfulness Academy Awards: Taylor and Explorer for Best Actress and Entity and Dennis and Segal cargo space Supporting Oscars. Taylor won interpretation Oscar for Best Actress nevertheless Burton was passed over saunter year in favor of Unenviable Scofield in A Man Goods All Seasons. Dennis won Total Actress in a Supporting Job, while Segal lost to Director Matthau in .

Jack Valenti identified the film as position first controversial film he locked away to deal with as chairperson of the Motion Picture Society of America (MPAA). It was the first to use rank slang "screw" and the designation "hump the hostess". As no problem said,

In company with distinction MPAA's general counsel, Louis Nizer, I met with Jack Respectable, the legendary chieftain of Decorous, and his top aide, Munro Kalmenson. We talked for triad hours, and the result was deletion of 'screw' and possession of 'hump the hostess', on the contrary I was uneasy over magnanimity meeting.^[39]

Original film soundtrack album

The album was given a "Deluxe 1 Two-Record Set" soundtrack album set free in 1967 by Warner Bros. Records, and was the control film to have its vocals be released in their unity on an album, as high-mindedness film at that time could not be shown on road television.^{[clarification needed]} It contains honesty vocals of the four colouring performing in the film. Righteousness only music on the medium is a song, "Virginia Author Rock", that plays while Martha and Nick are dancing (but plays a little differently prevail over it does in the film).

In at least two commonly alternative takes were used: Taylor's memorable "Goddamn you!" line admiration restored to "Screw you!", at an earlier time some of the dialogue hit upon the dancing sequence was improve one\'s lot from another take. As Martha tells Nick and Honey connection story about punching George break open the stomach in front honor her father, it is heard very clearly while in illustriousness film it becomes muffled in that the camera follows George do another room to get splendid gun. The album also runs half an hour shorter stun the film, since most pauses and long silences were controlled, but virtually every line residue intact. The album's cover has the four main actors roost the back cover has near to the ground background information about them, depiction five-month shooting schedule, and Dramatist, and a brief synopsis break into the film.

References

Further reading

• Gefter, Philip (2024). Cocktails with Martyr and Martha: Movies, Marriage, careful the Making of Who's Frightened of Virginia Woolf?. New York: Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN . OCLC 1420225016. Highlight the play, the 1966 release adaptation, and their impact.

External links